Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa

Goodwill of Central Iowa is a non-profit organization that uses a donated goods retail infrastructure from 17 stores to support programs improving the quality of life for anyone facing a barrier across its 22-county region. Through skills training and employment services, the organization is dedicated to inspiring all individuals to achieve independence through meaningful employment, believing that by improving lives, we improve our communities. Through outreach efforts, we specifically focus on programming for individuals who have barriers to employment. Barriers span the spectrum from homelessness, lack of education, disability, low language proficiency to digital literacy and beyond.

Our skills training programs are a combination of paid hands-on and classroom education, utilizing Goodwill facilities to focus on industry-specific skills and competencies. Industry-recognized certifications are available through some of the training programs. Programming focuses on retail, food service, industrial and pre-vocational industries over 30 shifts.

Our employment services are offered to help job seekers attain community employment. Goodwill Career Connection Centers, located in Des Moines, Johnston and Newton, offer free one-on-one assistance where job seekers can participate in resume help, mock interviews, computer skills training, workshops and hiring events. The Supported Employment Program provides personalized assistance to adults with a diagnosed disability and/or mental illness in obtaining and maintaining employment in the community. Career specialists assist job-seekers in finding a job that fits their goals, needs and current skills; a job coach may be assigned to work alongside individuals in their new position. Finally, Goodwill of Central Iowa's Work Experience Program serves individuals experiencing barriers to employment such as criminal background, language proficiency, homelessness or lack of education. Classroom and paid skills-based training to re-establish positive work habits, develop hard and soft workplace skills and receive career guidance.

Our focus is on providing the training and services that will help individuals find a job or even locate a better job. Goodwill of Central Iowa has been serving the region since 1955, and in the last 10 years alone, we have served 36,828 Central Iowans and helped 5,143 secure community employment.

Goodwill offers a wide variety of programs to help overcome barriers.

-Work Experience Program (WEP) has a long history of serving disadvantaged populations by providing job seeking skills as well as technical skill building.

- Day Services Program serves individuals with chronic mental illness or intellectual disabilities. Goals include the development of independent functioning in self-care, physical and emotional growth, socialization, education, and pre-vocational skills.

-Career Connection Centers offer individuals access to the latest computer technology, employment resources, resume assistance, career coaching and online training opportunities free of charge.

- Recycling Program continues to annually keep over 22 million pounds of waste out of the area landfill.

Polk County Health Services 2017 Community Employment Outcomes Evaluation evaluates the five agencies that provide Employment Services in Polk county each year. In 2017 Goodwill of Central Iowa saw a 30 percent increase in participants served, and for the first time we were the largest SE provider in Polk County, serving 176 individuals with disabilities. We reached 82 percent of participants engaged in employment, and we continue to lead (the shortest time) in the average number of months in job development at 6.8 months. Goodwill placed the largest number of participants with disabilities in Polk County, and we had a 97 percent satisfaction rate for participants in 2017, the highest satisfaction rating we have ever received in this evaluation.